Mon Mar 24 08:42:04 UTC 2025: ## Hidden Hugo: London Exhibition Showcases Literary Giant’s Unknown Artistic Talent
**London, March 24, 2025** – A new exhibition at London’s Royal Academy of Arts is shedding light on the lesser-known artistic side of Victor Hugo, the celebrated author of *Les Misérables* and *The Hunchback of Notre-Dame*. “Astonishing Things: The Drawings of Victor Hugo,” which opened on March 21st and runs until June 29th, features approximately 70 drawings, many rarely seen by the public.
The exhibition reveals Hugo’s passion for illustration, a private pursuit that ran parallel to his illustrious literary and political career. His works, primarily ink washes, graphite pencil, and charcoal sketches, depict fantastical castles, monstrous creatures, and dramatic seascapes, reflecting the poetic imagery of his writing. The Academy describes the drawings as equally as evocative as his prose, noting their influence on Romantic and Symbolist poets and artists, including the Surrealists; Vincent van Gogh himself reportedly compared them to “astonishing things.”
Many of the exhibited pieces, created primarily between 1850 and 1870, date from Hugo’s self-imposed exile on the island of Guernsey following Napoleon III’s coup d’état. This period saw the completion of some of his most significant works, including *Les Chatiments* and *Les Misérables*. The exhibition traces Hugo’s artistic development, from early caricatures to abstract experiments, demonstrating the interplay between his literary and artistic expressions. While some drawings are enigmatic, others, such as “Ecce Lex” (Behold the law), which depicts a hanged man, clearly reflect his political convictions.
The exhibition marks the first time many of these works have been displayed in the UK in over 50 years, offering a unique opportunity to experience the multifaceted genius of Victor Hugo.
First Piper 